Chrissie Salazar, Executive Director of Drug-Free Punta Gorda, is a professional, dedicated to preventing teen substance abuse in Punta Gorda, Florida. She has developed Drug-Free Punta Gorda from its beginnings in 2013, by engaging strong community partners. She has worked in the Teen Drug Prevention field, here in Charlotte County for the past eleven years.
Graduating from Mesa College, in San Diego, CA., Chrissie specialized in Early Childhood Development/Education and Kindergarten, teaching for approximately twenty years. She loves working with children of all ages. Post-teaching years, Chrissie studied Business Management – stepping into work with federal and city government, supervising a team that worked to bring businesses into compliance with City regulations. This was accomplished by Salazar’s ability to build strong city-wide partnerships.
Chrissie and her husband, Mike, relocated to Charlotte County, FL in 2007, and Chrissie was thrilled to be back in the non-profit world, serving as the Director of Media and Marketing for Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity, and then Drug-Free Charlotte County. Finally, the opportunity to build Drug-Free Punta Gorda, from the ground up proved to be a great fit.
Chrissie has lead an outstanding team of professional staff and volunteers, has resulted in successful teen drug and alcohol prevention in Punta Gorda, which is seen through its significant and sustained reductions in youth alcohol and drug abuse. Chrissie has loved the Lord for decades, involving herself in ministry to lead people to Christ and bring them into discipleship.